Chaie



I W. HALL.

RAILWAY.

No. 20,793. Patented July 6, 1858,

I Mi 7/1 l m: Norms PETERS c0., vnofo-umu. WASNINGTQN. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM HALL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIR FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,793, dated July 6, 18-58.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HALL, of Springfield, in the county ofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain ImprovedMode of Splicing the Rails of Railroads; and I do herein describe andascertain said invention, referring to the accompanying drawing, inwhich Figure 1, is a top view or plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig.3, is a vertical longitudinal section through the center of the railsand splice. Fig. 4, is a transverse section through the splice.

The purpose of this invention is to furnish a cheap and convenientsplice for joining the ends of the rails, which can be used withoutcutting or fitting the rails in any way therefor, by slitting, boring orotherwise, as is required in most splices now in use while I at the sametime secure a permanent and sufficiently rigid fastening for the ends ofthe rails and avoid the defect of a solid chair upon the crossties whichis found to act like an anvil upon which the end of the rail is struckby the wheels of the passing train and broken down rapidly.

\Vith these objects in view I proceed to describe my invention whichconsists of a simple splice of metal D of proper thickness composed ofthe following parts, and clearly shown in the several figures.

a, is the sole plate on which the ends of the rails rest. This should beabout eight inches long more or less, and of a breadth correspondingwith the base of the rail it is intended for. The sides are turned upover the base of the rail and grasp and hold it turning over up to theweb as clearly seen in Fig. 4, and forming the lips Z); when the spliceis thus formed it can be rapidly driven on to the ends of the rail andneeds no fastening further, nor does the rail require preparationtherefor, the squared end of the rail as it comes from the mill is readyto put down. In laying the rail with this splice it is necessary toemploy two cross ties with just suflicient space between them to admitthe splicesay eight inches in the clear, the ends of the two contiguousrails that are to be joined projecting each four inches over the tie andmeeting midway between them, thus giving a proper support to the railnear the end and still leaving the splice free and unattached to anycross tie or other support beneath it while it sustains the rail withthe whole strength due to the size of the rail from cross tie to crosstie. With this combination of a simple splice formed of a single pieceand applied without any preparation of the rail therefor, with two crossties immediately on either side thereof, I find to be the most reliable,cheap and expeditiously set fastening, I have seen for the rails ofrailroads.

Having thus fully described my new mode of securing the ends of rails ofrailroads what I claim therein as my invention and for which I desire tosecure Letters Patent The mode herein described for securing the ends ofrails constructed arranged and combined in the manner and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature.

WILLIAM HALL. WVitnesses:

A. PHELPS, CHARLES LAKIN.

